Cutting boards are undoubtedly ubiquitous throughout human history, their creation probably occurring simultaneously with the stone knife. Similarly, accidents with the same, such as the unintended slicing of the operator's finger, are probably equally ubiquitous.
Modern cutting boards generally comprise a wood or hard plastic working surface upon which food preparation takes place. When wood is used it is common to construct a board of multiple pieces of end grain hard wood, for example, hard maple. Multiple types of plastic have been employed, usually from the polystyrene family. Regardless of the type or types of materials used, accidents still happen with alarming frequency.